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The Great Malcolm David Kelley
The young Antwone from the film Antwone Fisher

More Articles / Pages 2 3

Speaking for himself, and others


Antwone Fisher is an advocate for foster kids
By Lisa Hinojosa
Texans love Antwone Fisher -- he has the numbers to prove it.

The filmmaker and foster care activist, who is scheduled to speak on May 3 at the Texas Foster Youth Conference Luncheon sponsored by Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, said that most of his speaking engagements are in the Lone Star State and the reception always is warm. "I think that people in Texas like the idea of someone starting off in one place and ending up in another, raising themselves up by their bootstraps," Fisher said.

Those familiar with his story, the inspiration behind his autobiographical book "Finding Fish" and the 2002 film "Antwone Fisher," will recall the series of hard-knock circumstances he suffered. Born in prison to a teenage mother, he was shuffled into the Cleveland foster care system. After a childhood fraught with abuse at the hands of his foster family, Fisher ended up homeless before enlisting in the Navy. In the years that followed, he met a cadre of mentors who served as the inspiration behind the fictional naval psychiatrist Dr. Jerome Davenport, portrayed by Denzel Washington in the film.

Davenport persuades Fisher to confront his tortured past, in turn catalyzing a journey of self discovery. In real life, the journey led Fisher to Hollywood where he toiled to break into screenwriting and share his story. Working as a security guard in 1991 at Sony Studios, he had his first brush with Washington, who had an office nearby. "I knew him in the way that a guard would know someone," Fisher said. "We waved to each other. He always was a nice person to me. I had no idea that we would become personal friends."

Interestingly, before Washington had a chance to read Fisher's script, it was routed to the Oscar winner's wife via Washington's niece, who worked for Sony and was friends with Fisher. At the time, Fisher ruled it inappropriate to approach Washington at work, so he bided his time, waiting for the screenplay to trade hands between a producer and Washington's agent. "Six years later, Denzel got the screenplay and then when he realized it was me, he was like, 'Why am I always the last to hear about these things?'" Fisher said with a laugh. "His wife had read it and his niece had read it. He was telling his wife about the screenplay and she said, 'Oh, I read that years ago.'" He credits much of what he learned about the biz to his experience working below the line in Tinseltown and invokes similar paths by key players in Hollywood.

"Kevin Costner was a security guard. John Singleton was a security guard. Jack Nicholson worked in the mailroom. Damon Wayans worked in the mailroom," he said. "If you want to work in Hollywood, get a job in Hollywood. The guy who played me in the movie worked in the studio emporium. It's easier to get accepted in if people know you." A champion for the oft overlooked, Fisher recalled the feeling of being on the outside looking in. "When I was homeless, it felt like no one saw me but I saw everyone else. I think sometimes people can't see homeless children because they can't imagine that any kids would be homeless, especially in a city like Cleveland," he said. This is the invisible world that Fisher works to make visible through his efforts as a speaker and activist and so far it's working.

"Last year, my wife and kids and I were invited to have lunch with the president and his wife and parents and kids," he said. Despite his afternoon with Laura and the president, the humble icon never expects star treatment, which is a good thing because he doesn't always get it. "My wife is a vegetarian and so I'm pretty much a vegetarian. My kids have never even had meat. So I was (having lunch) in Dallas and I asked the waitress for some veggie sausage, and she said, 'Honey, you're in Texas.

And what the hell is veggie sausage?' She had a hand on her hip with a coffee pot in her hand." OK, so our state did not exactly roll out the red carpet on that occasion, but Fisher's no diva. The good-humored family man has tons to smile about these days. He divides his time between work and his wife and two daughters, one of whom is an aspiring writer. Presently, Fisher is penning the script for Training Day 2. The sequel to the Denzel action vehicle that hit theaters in 2001 is a stark contrast to Fisher's personal story and reflects the variety of material he elects to write. "You can't cry over your past forever," he said.

"Everyone thought he was helping out some kid, but there was a deep, dark secret that no one knew." -- JESSE JONES on Randolph Smith abusing him (Dave Bowman, Daily Press / October 4, 2007)

BY PETER DUJARDIN | 247-4749
October 9, 2007

NEWPORT NEWS - Jesse Jones was 13 when he first met Newport News police officer Randolph D. Smith.

It was 1994. Smith, pictured at left, needed someone to help him out with his drag racing, and another police officer thought Jones - an avid race car fan - would be an ideal candidate.

"I asked my mom if it was OK," said Jones, now 26, and still living in Newport News. "We'd go every Saturday."



They'd travel to Virginia Motor Sports, in Dinwiddie County. While Smith raced his 1964 Chevy Nova, Jones would help out with the tires and other items, and got to be a part of the day's events.

Because they'd have to wake up so early, Jones said, he began arriving at Smith's house on Friday nights. The teen said he soon began spending nearly every weekend at Smith's house.


"Everyone thought he was helping out some kid," said Jones. "But there was a deep, dark secret that no one knew."


The Daily Press' policy is typically not to name victims of sexual assault cases, but Jones said he was fine with being named, in part to help others in similar situations come forward. "I don't have to hide," he said.

The boy would sleep with the officer in his bed, during which time they would watch movies, play video games and eat snacks. Jones said the officer reached over and fondled him "pretty much every weekend" during a roughly two-year stretch when Jones was between the ages of 13 and 15. "It was pretty much the same routine every weekend," Jones said.

Jones didn't tell anyone about it. Instead, he would sometimes "intentionally stay up later, playing video games until I thought he was asleep, then go to sleep myself."

On Thursday, Smith, 60, who retired from the police force in 1995, pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent liberties - three involving Jones and three involving another boy in 1982.

Circuit Court Judge Timothy S. Fisher gave Smith a 45-year sentence - all suspended - under a plea agreement between Smith and the Newport News commonwealth's attorney's office. Smith also has to register as a sex offender, be under supervised probation for two years, maintain good behavior for 15 years, and stay away from juvenile males.

Robert W. Lawrence, Smith's attorney, who advised Smith not to discuss the case with the media, said, "We flatly and emphatically deny that it happened every weekend."

Ones said that when he was 15, "I just got older," and stopped spending weekends with Smith.

But even after the abuse had stopped, Jones said, Smith introduced him to ice hockey, still one of Jones' passions. The police officer paid Jones' expenses, and attended his games and claimed the boy on his tax return. Jones, whose father was not part of his life, said, "A lot of times, I would introduce him to people as my dad."

Looking back now, Jones said, Smith's taking such an interest might have been a way to keep him quiet. The day after the first instance of abuse, Jones added, Smith allowed him to drive a three-wheel vehicle at the track - something he'd been wanting to do. "Part of me wants to believe some of it was genuine, but that's something I'll never know the answer to," Jones said.

Though the abuse had ended, Jones still spent a lot of time with Smith when the teen was between ages 16 and 19. Jones stopped visiting Smith's house when he was 19, and last talked to him when he helped Smith move when Jones was 21.

Jones was 23 when he first mentioned the abuse to a girlfriend, shortly after seeing the film "Antwone Fisher," about the screenplay writer being abused as a child. Jones told another girlfriend in November 2006, who encouraged him to turn Smith in.

Though he and that girlfriend broke up in February, Jones decided in March to report what happened to him to Newport News police. "One night it all just hit me that it is the reason behind so much," he said. "The nights that I stay up late, just thinking about stuff and not trusting people. If you can't trust a cop, who can you trust?"

After his story hit the media, another man came forward with a similar story about an incident when he was 13. That man, now 39, didn't want his name used for this article. He said he first came forward to back up Jones, and his case ended up being prosecuted, too.

That victim said he met Smith while doing a paper route in 1981. He flagged down the officer and asked for help in dealing with someone who had stolen a newspaper. Smith ended up befriending the boy's family, visiting their home and attending their picnics.

Smith made plans with that boy to take him racing, with Smith owning a 1971 Chevy Chevelle at the time. The teen stayed over at the officer's house, during which time the first assault occurred, the man said. Another time, he said, Smith watched as he took a shower after cutting Smith's grass.

Both men said they have been negatively impacted by the abuse. Jones told the judge last week that the abuse has affected his ability to sleep, his schooling, career and health, "even the way I fall asleep on the edge of my bed, like so many nights in his bed."

He's held several retail jobs, and has done odd jobs, but nothing steady. "I needed to get this over with so I could move forward with everything in my life," Jones said. "Now the darker days are behind me."

Although Smith won't have to spend time behind bars unless he violates the plea deal, Jones said he's OK with the agreement. "No amount of jail time will get back the years that I stayed up late every night. Everyone knows, his fellow officers know ... the fact that it's out there is what I'm happy about."






Melissa 'Stanley' Cohen, 36, production coordinator

Career included working on major studio films

Production coordinator Melissa "Stanley" Cohen died Aug. 28 in Baltimore from complications after recent gallbladder surgery. She was 36. At the time of her death, Cohen was serving as production coordinator on the Touchstone Pictures feature, "Step Up 2 The Streets."

She also served as production coordinator on "Failure to Launch," "Ladder 49," "Osmosis Jones," "The Wedding Planner," "Me Myself & Irene," and "Random Hearts," and as production supervisor on "Antwone Fisher." She was assistant production coordinator on "12 Monkeys," "For Richer or Poorer," and "Washington Square."

Born and raised in Ellicott City, Md., Cohen adopted her late father's name Stanley to ease the way looking for work as a grip in Hollywood. She was a member of IATSE Local 161. She is survived by husband Scott Altvater; mother Ardis, a film hairstylist; and a brother. Donations may be made to the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Cooper Perry Fund.






M U G S H O T S - A Celebration of The Journey From Ruin to Redemption

"These are stories of people who chose to live, to overcome the harsh reality of their lives and make a difference to the world. Their journey out of darkness is powerful and important. It teaches us to know there is hope, there is a second chance, there is redemption." - James Keach, Producer, Walk the Line

"In this book are a series of photographs of faces. Some are well known, some totally unknown; they range across the spectrum of age and race and economic condition. At first blush, they have no unifying factor, but a collection of photographic portraits must have some kind of theme. In this instance the unifier is that they all died, went to hell and were resurrected."- From the foreword by Edward Bunker

In Mugshots, (Real Deal Media/October 2007/Hardcover) writer Jason Porath and photographer Jonas Mohr tell a compilation of dramatic, real life stories of redemption. Full of striking photographs and remarkable quotes from men and women whose lives were once in ruin, the book is a captivating work of photojournalism.

There are many recognizable faces; among them musician Coolio, actor Danny Trejo, writer Jerry Stahl, actor Eric Roberts, writer Antwone Fisher, actor Brian Goodman, Hollywood agent Manny Jimenez, actress and designer Kelly Minter, actor Emilio Rivera and activist Gilbert Salinas among many others. Oscar nominated writer and actor Edward Bunker, the inspiration for the book, who passed away before its release, writes a compassionate foreword.

Mugshots took seven years to complete. Each interview carefully crafted to elicit incredible insight into the circumstances that led each individual's life to a path of destruction and their remarkable journey back from drugs, crime, gangs, addiction and imprisonment. Each photograph not only revealing a face but vividly capturing a well-traveled soul in each crease and pore; a soul from whose journey everyman and woman can take inspiration.

Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigossa says Mugshots "tracks the real life stories of those who overcome personal trials and follow a path of hope."

The book is beautifully designed, with exceptional black and white photography. And while the book tells many stories, the book's layout holds the reader's attention through a single narrative. Each chapter cleverly marks a key stage in the lives of those profiled. What the photographs and interviews ultimately create is what writer Porath calls, "a hero's journey." And it's a journey from which we can all learn.

Praise for Mugshots

Father Gregory Boyle, the Director of Jobs for a Future and Homeboy Industries says, "By exposing the reader to folks whose voices hover around the margins, Mugshots has advanced the noble movement towards kinship. This fine book stands with those on the margins and helps us all imagine the day when the margins themselves will have been erased."
And actor and director Steve Buscemi writes, "The photographs alone are brilliant, every face tells a thousand stories of hardship, perseverance, redemption, and inspiration. Having worked with and being friends with several of the people in Mugshots, I have personally witnessed their triumphs and celebrate their stories of struggle and survival in this wonderful book."

About Jason Porath and Jonas Mohr
Jason is an author and filmmaker who has spent the last decade researching, writing and producing. His background in theater and journalism led to an interest in the moving image and visual storytelling. He worked for several years in New York and London as writer and researcher for documentary films and has contributed to Elle Magazine and several television programs for The Discovery Channel, Learning Channel, National Geographic Television and the BBC. He currently serves as Senior Editor for Shoot Hip Press and is a founding partner of Enhanced Books. He is the co-author of the upcoming book about the early days of Guns N'Roses: Reckless Road.

Jonas began his involvement with photography ten years ago and has emerged as a creative, fun, and dynamic photographer. His infectious warm personality and technical skills create striking photographic images that pop from editorial and advertising pages throughout the world. His materials have appeared in countless publications including: G.Q., Vanity Fair, In Style, Stern, Elle, Playboy, to name a few. His advertising and music assignments include Vespa, Disney, B.M.G., MTV, VH1.





QB Smith to Launch Scholarship Program at SDSU
Kat Madariaga- 2007-06-18

The Alex Smith Foundation and San Diego State University (SDSU) will launch the Guardian Scholars Program on June 28. The Program will provide ten emancipated foster youth in San Diego County with five-year scholarships to SDSU, year-round housing and extensive individual mentoring and tutoring throughout their time in school. The program will grant scholarships to ten foster youth a year, eventually supporting 50 foster youth at a time.


“The foster youth facts are astonishing. There are approximately 6,500 youth in the foster care system in San Diego County and each year 300 of these kids leave the system when they turn 18 and their future prospects are grim,” said Smith, starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. “Fifty-percent will end up unemployed, one-third will require public assistance, twenty-five percent will become incarcerated – that’s just the beginning.”

The Alex Smith Foundation SDSU Guardian Scholars Program is unique to other Guardian Scholar programs as it incorporates the highly successful high school work that the Consensus Organizing Center is doing at Helix Charter High School in San Diego. This new Guardian Scholars Program recruits, educates and empowers high school foster youth to graduate high school and attend higher education. This is achieved by providing high school sophomores and juniors with an opportunity to experience post-secondary education and encourage students to apply newly learned skills in local community-based organizations.


All foster youth receiving the scholarships are required to meet the San Diego State University eligibility requirements, have financial need and undergo an interview process with staff members of The Alex Smith Foundation.


“This is not only a regional problem or a state-wide problem, this is a national issue,” Smith said. “If I can help at least ten foster youth a year transition into college and help them reach success in their adult lives, we’re making great strides.” 
The Alex Smith Foundation SDSU Guardian Scholars Program launch event will be held on Thursday, June 28 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ivy Hotel in San Diego. The event will include remarks from Smith, Dr. Stephen Weber, President of SDSU and Antwone Fisher, the author, playwright and former foster child. The ten foster youth receiving the scholarships also will be in attendance.



About The Alex Smith Foundation

Forward Progress for Foster Teens in Transition 
The Alex Smith Foundation provides foster teens with the tools and resources needed to transition to successful adulthood. For more information, visit www.alexsmithfoundation.org.


About the Consensus Organizing Center

The Consensus Organizing Center is composed of recent graduates and students of the San Diego State University's School of Social Work trained in the Consensus Organizing Model. All staff members work together in supporting the foster care high school and college students as they join SDSU's campus and transition to the college environment. The staff members play vital roles both inspiring and encouraging the students, while also guiding and monitoring their academic performance. Staff members maintain a constant presence in the lives of students, facilitating discussions in and pout of the classrooms and organizing interactions with the students.


White Fields

Writer Antwone Fisher— whose troubled youth was the basis for a popular 2002 movie — called a new Oklahoma boys' group home the most inspiring place he's been since becoming famous.

"It's nice to know that a place like this exists,” Fisher said Thursday of White Fields.

Fisher 47, was born in an Ohio prison and suffered abuse in a foster home. He collected money for a pimp for a while as a teenager and lived on the streets before joining the Navy in 1977. There, he came to grips with his past with the help of a naval psychiatrist, played by Denzel Washington in the movie "Antwone Fisher.”

White Fields was founded by energy company executive Tom Ward and his son, Trent Ward. It provides a long-term home for abused or neglected boys ages 8 to 18 in the custody of the O.D.H.S. Five boys now are on the 140-acre campus in Canadian County.

Its founders hope it eventually will have 40 to 50 boys. The first boy arrived in November. 
Fisher recounted life struggles to an audience at White Fields that included judges, child-welfare workers and The DHS Director Howard Handrick.

Smith Kicks off Foundation

Chrissy Mauck






Stats and numbers are vitally important to a quarterback as after all, better stats usually equate to a higher number in the win column. While second-year quarterback Alex Smith hopes to improve this season upon his rookie playing stats, Tuesday night’s kickoff event for The Alex Smith Foundation was dedicated to raising awareness of the alarming stats for adolescents who have been emancipated from the foster care system at the age of 18.


No quarterback could survive in the league without a supporting cast, just as these young adults have little chance of succeeding in life with no aid, no guidance, and no support once they are turned out of the foster care system.


In the state of California, within 18 months of emancipation over 60% are unemployed. Approximately 25% experience homelessness at least once after leaving foster care. Within two years, 25% end up incarcerated, staggering statistics that Smith hopes to change.


“Statistics speak for themselves,” said Smith who rattled off the numbers above by heart. “It’s something I’m striving to change, and that we need to change.”


Smith’s interest in this cause was first piqued a year ago by his mother Pam who works in San Diego County’s Health and Human Services. Pam informed her son of a foster care high school in San Diego that fielded an 8-man football team that had made it to the finals in San Diego County.


“I went and met with some of the teens there and with the help of Reebok I was able to donate shoes for every kid in the school,” said Smith. “As I talked to them and heard their stories, it really hit me. I’m not that far removed from them in age and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to live in their shoes without any support.”

As the idea fostered and work towards establishing the foundation got rolling, Pam arranged a meeting between Smith and author/play write Antwone Fisher. It was the start of a friendship that has blossomed over the last several months and directly led to Fisher's presence at the Bambuddha Lounge, located in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.

Born in prison, Fisher spent 18 years in the foster care system, moving from an orphanage to a reform school when he was 14. At 18, he fell into the many awaiting pitfalls for an emancipated foster care child.

“My social worker took me to a men’s shelter and I think gave me 70 dollars and told me I was on my own,” said Fisher. “It was really too dangerous for me to live at the shelter.”

Homeless on the streets in Cleveland, Ohio, Fisher slept in storefronts and sometimes in the snow. With another winter settling in, Fisher found an escape by joining the United States Navy, serving his country for 11 years.



“What I experienced and in meeting several other foster kids out there on the streets, I never heard of anyone trying to do something about it,” said Fisher. “What Alex is trying to do is really one of the most important things you can do for a foster kid. Like myself, if you don’t have anything or anybody and you find there is somebody out there who cares, that means a lot.”

Smith’s foundation will fund existing transitional programs and work to create new programs including mentoring, job training, and assistance for continued education so that the 4,000 foster youth who transition out of California’s foster care system each year are not abandoned as Fisher was many years ago. The foundation will also work as an advocate for legislation such as Assembly Bill 2489 by Mark Leno which would expand the Cal Grant program to give greater assistance to foster kids who go on to college or other postsecondary education programs.

The cause struck a personal chord with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, whose own family hosted foster care children.

“I grew up with a number of foster youth so it’s personal to me,” said Newsom who addressed the many guests which included a group of emancipated foster care children, head coach Mike Nolan, offensive coordinator Norv Turner, and more than 20 of Smith’s teammates.  “I care deeply about this because I see the impact that families have in changing peoples' lives. We weren’t so successful. We had three foster youth, two of them ended up in San Quentin. One of them is still in San Quentin with nine different sons and daughters from many different partners. This is the same pattern that was established by his mother. We didn’t do a good enough job, but we were only given a year and a half to do it because he was emancipated. We’ve got to be there when they are emancipated. We’ve got to step up and do the right thing.”


“The spirit of Alex’s foundation is changing lives,” concluded Newsom. “There’s nothing you look back on in your life with more pride than the fact that you had an impact on changing someone’s narrative, changing someone’s story and changing someone’s life in a positive way.” 

Moved by the words of Smith, Newsom and Fisher, the guests provided a fund raising boost by dipping into their pockets to bid on the many items offered in the silent and live auction. Quarterback Trent Dilfer demonstrated his support by purchasing two items in the live auction –a five-course meal for eight at a Los Gatos restaurant and an original painting of Smith by Eric Grbich.


It’s exactly that spirit of teamwork and support that Smith hopes to provide for these young adults. 

“When I went off to college, my parents drove me there, bought me a computer, and gave me money for anything I needed to succeed in school,” said Smith who calls himself the antithesis of a foster care child. “I’ve got a huge support system and I relied on them so much and I would not be where I am today if I did not have that support team. These are kids who have been abandoned, and it’s tragic that they’ve been left without anyone. We can do better.”

Like his future in the NFL, it’s clear that when it comes to these emancipated foster care youth, Smith is committed to improving stats, changing the playing field and doing something big. Tuesday evening was only the beginning.



Mary Bradley Marable, Karamu House actress, had role in 'Fisher'



Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Alana Baranick 
Plain Dealer Reporter

Mary Bradley Marable, who died Friday at age 96, acted in more plays at Karamu House than she could remember before landing a speaking part in the film "Antwone Fisher."

She worked for three days on the 2002 movie that was based on the best-selling autobiography of a Cleveland native, directed by Hollywood heartthrob Denzel Washington and partially filmed in Cleveland.

Marable appeared only briefly near the end of the movie. It was her final role and her most thrilling experience as an actress. 
The nonagenarian liked to say that when Washington told her to report for work at 6:30 a.m., she told him, "I can't get up that early. And besides that, that's my bridge day."

Washington softly told her that she'd have to rearrange her schedule and give up bridge for a few days. The Karamu veteran, totally charmed by the movie star, complied.

Marable began acting at the Little Settlement House at East 38th Street and Central Avenue in Cleveland when she was a youngster. She performed with the theatrical company when it became Karamu House in 1949 and moved to East 89th Street and Quincy Avenue. 
She appeared on numerous stages throughout Northeast Ohio. She did poetry readings and appeared in television commercials for United Way and Ohio Bell.

In the 1970s, Marable played the role of the maid in the made-for-television movie "The Gathering," starring Ed Asner and Maureen Stapleton. 
Her day jobs included driving a streetcar and later a bus for the former Cleveland Transit System and selling real estate. In her later years, she supervised a nutrition center for seniors and participated in a "senior citizen intern" program in 1988 at U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes' office in Washington.

She belonged to St. Adalbert and Conversion of St. Paul Catholic churches, both in Cleveland. She served as a Eucharistic minister, lector and liturgy committee member. She volunteered with Head Start and Active Clevelanders Together.





Denzel Brings Fisher's Story Alive

by Yanina Carter (entertainment Editor)






Philadelphia was recently granted a special appearance and appearance by Antwone Quenton Fisher. the author of Finding Fish" and the focus of the inspiring story or the motion picture, "Antwone Fisher” directed by Denzel Washington. Greeted by a full house at the Ritz East, Antwone. made his grand entrance and addressed every question presented to him after the special screening of his movie. Facilitated by Ukee Washington, of KYW, Antwone shared his story with many. However, when I had the chance [0 speak with the noted author, and screenwriter, Antwone made a point to say he didn't want the interview to be about him. "I have been here for some an entire day and through all the interviews everyone asked me about the movie, about Derrek Luke, (who played Antwone in the movie) about my story but never about Denzel."


He added, "And that's what I want this interview to be about." "Okay, this is your interview," I stated. And together we left the hotel where he was staying and took a walk through Rittenhouse Square and downtown. He wanted to see a little of the city while I interviewed him and so we strolled in the cold, warmed by our conversation. He was raised in institutions from the moment his single mother gave birth to him in prison, As a foster child, he suffered more than a dozen years of emotional abandonment and physical abuse, until he escaped and forged a life on the streets. And just as his life was about to hit rock bottom, Antwone enlisted in the U.S. Navy-a decision that would ultimately save him, There, he became a man and discovered a loving family he never had. Through it all, Antwone refused to allow his spirit to be broken and never gave up his dreams of a better day.

A miraculous true story of one courageous man's journey from abandonment. and abuse to extraordinary success. Antwone has survived. "Initially I wanted to tell my story because the opportunity presented itself and I was told that I could not do it, meaning that I did not have the aptitude to write." Antwone recalled," It reminded me of how I was always told as a child that I was worthless. and that I would never accomplish anything in Life-words that still haunt me. I became determined to write my story simply because I was told that I couldn't,” "Then, I discovered that it was cleansing for me to write about my life," he continued. I felt free, free from what felt like secrets, free from the responsibility of such unhealthy shame, Having my story told gives me faith and encouragement and reminds me that there are good and unselfish people in the world; people who would help an absolute stranger by giving him the tools to pull himself up. giving him the chance to benefit society. Despite the unfortunate circumstances of my life. there is hope."

Antwone Fisher's story first caught the attention of producer Todd Black of Fox Starlight "I never thought about writing before. I never thought that writers could make money, Fisher said. “I loved the dramatics so much I thought, ‘WOW I want to write a song.’ But I didn't have any music so I started writing poem.” Antwone was working as a prison guard and was fed up with that job. "I couldn't work there any more it was too much for me, so I thought if I got this job at Sony (as a security guard) I could do that until I found something more substantial to do. Then I started looking for my family, and I found them while I was working there and I hadn't been there long enough to accumulate leave, so I told my boss why I wanted to go and I told him my story and he told me to go, And when I came back, there was a lot of executives at Columbia Tri Star that wanted to talk to me about my Story, but I wanted to write it. They said, ‘no you don't have any writing talent you never went to film school', but it didn't discourage me. I went and got some legal pads and wrote my story.

I went to Fox Searchlight and they finished it.” Since then Antwone has written 9 screen plays and has worked on "Rush Hour," "Money Talks" and numerous other movies. "I am the first African American to earn a million dollars from the sell of a signal screenplay, a major accomplishment. Landing the lead role, Derrek Luke, who portrays Antwone in the movie, crossed paths with Antwone while working as a store clerk at Sony. Antwone had been working as a screenwriter for some five years before Luke came to work at Sony. "Derrek said he knew I was a screenwriter and he wanted to read some of my work. One day, I brought in an extra script and gave it to him and he read it and said he really liked it and it was sort of like his story. He said he had been using it in his coaching classes I introduced him to the producer and he wanted to audition for the lead role. But I told him that everyone wanted to do the movie-from Cuba Gooding, Jr, to Tupac," he said as I joke.

"But then Denzel decided that it should not be anyone famous.” and Derrick won the lead role. I don't take anything from Derrek who did a really great job. But when people come on to the set and they are ready to act, there is another person there that is responsible for everyone's performance and his name is Denzel Washington,” stated Antwone I have to give credit where credit is due. Like me I am a good writer and everyone says that, but I would not have been as good if I did not have mentors telling me things to improve my skills. “ I think Denzel is getting credit for his job, but not enough credit for what he did. -and that’s because I saw it, One, when you work with first time actors it’s a big job. Just within itself. so his direction is very important. Can you imagine him helping the actors portray his lines exactly how he wants them said, then worrying about the position of the camera, and then his own performance, and then the set designer coming over with big trays of pancakes saying, “I got them right!” (because they kept falling apart) and Denzel is standing there trying to focus on these first time actors., because this is his debut.

Then the scene starts and he says ‘cut.’ ” Then he has to run to the monitors and look at how the scene looked, and maybe he will keep the scene the way it is or maybe he tells them we have to do it again. After each scene he has to run back to the monitors, and he did this for two months. H was responsible for everthing-that’s directing. And with this being my life, he is being concerned that he takes care of me and I am pleased with his work.

"So, I hope that people really understand, how powerful and talented he is, because when you see a great screenplay it's not my sole doing it’s a director that makes it happen and under the direction of Denzel he brought my story to the screen. "Working with Denzel has inspired Antwone to pursue his next dream and that is to direct. "I am going to do the surgeon. Dr. Ben Carson's story next and I am going to direct it. “I’ve come a long way in the industry, but I understand I have a long way to go and before I start collecting credit for what I've done, I look around me and see who has helped me get to where I am, so I believe in giving credit where credit is due.

“When people talk about Antwone Fisher they need to look around the room and look for the guy with the New York Yankee ball cap on and go interview him, because I know none of this would have happened if it wasn't for that guy over there...Denzel. "Denzel does a lot for Black people," Antwone explained. He didn't have to do all those Spike Lee movies; he didn't have to hire Antoine (the director) to do his "Training Day" movie, They didn't want him to do it anyway, but Denzel said I want him to do it.

After Steven Spielberg and other folks had screenplays they wanted him to do. But he said no, I want to do the Antwone Fisher Story. He didn't have to take third billing on this film and give Derrick first billing but he did. "Denzel is a guy who have definitely given back. He has shared what he has become, with other folk so that they will have a chance to become something in this industry-like me. My movie would not have ever gotten made You have to have a star to peak interest It's not an action movie, it's a low budget movie. Bringing the story alive: "'It's hard for me to watch the movie, Malcolm's (Kelley) parts (the young actor), He had to go through all those beatings and it basically brought back memories and he would look at me. With this look, and I couldn’t watch it. “He did a fabulous job. would not know that type of stuff existed.” He he said chocked up Even if he had to sit looking at it, I would look the other way r do something else; but I always knew the music, I knew when the piano started playing we were going back in time again.

Why, are we here'?:

"I always see movies about young people never doing anything good, and they end up in tragedy at the end-there is a lot of those you see. And this is probably the first movie about a young person who has come along and had a difficult time and figured out how to work it out through other people, which is bettor explained in my book. "Finding Fish". Antwone has delivered a similar message throughout his conversation, and that is giving props where props are due. He has been fortunate in his life to have people come in his world and give him help, and it is apparent he has not forgotten them. "Denzel is a gracious person. We had a special engagement and Denzel came with his wife, and then they had him come and introduce [he movie and then me. and then Denzel leaves, right after I was introduced because he wanted the young people to enjoy the gala affair without it being aboUt Denzel Washington.

When I was in Cleveland, scouting locations, these foster kids in Cleveland were having a graduation and they came and asked us to say something to the kids. He said yes. go Antwone, go. I said come on, they want to see Denzel. He said. 'No. if I go it will be all about me and no one will have any fun, so go and say something to those kids.' Antwone told the children, They were in the first chapter of their lives and life is like a book and this is a new chapter for them so make it a good one."

Antwone Fisher, a true four star movie. Take your family to see it. And. pick up the book. "Finding Fish," which is currently on the top ten list of New York Times Bestsellers list.

The Real Antwone Fisher Talks About the Movie, "Antwone Fisher"







The real Antwone Fisher and actor Derek Luke 
Photo© Fox Searchlight - All Rights Reserved. 

The real Antwone Fisher is a screenwriter, a poet, and a man who has seemingly come to terms with his devastatingly abusive beginnings. Soft spoken, intelligent and extremely candid, Antwone Fisher overcame tremendous odds and both his life, and the movie version of his life, are filled with hope and triumph. 

I had the pleasure of speaking with Antwone Fisher while he was in San Diego promoting the "Antwone Fisher" movie. Here's what the man behind the movie had to say about his personal journey from foster care to Hollywood, and working with Oscar winner Denzel Washington and newcomer Derek Luke:




ANTWONE FISHER

Now that the movie has been released, do you still believe opening yourself up to millions of moviegoers was the right choice?

Yes, I do, because for one, it gave me a new career. And two, I found that it was cathartic for me. It was a healing experience, and it's still that way. It seems to have helped a lot of people with their own lives.


What was the biggest obstacle for you, as the screenwriter, in summing up your life in a 2-hour time frame?


Learning the structure and format of a screenplay and the rules of screenwriting. I wrote the movie, and it took me some drafts to learn how to write one. Some people go to school for 4 years to learn how to do it. I did learn after about 40 drafts, I learned how to do it. That's why I decided to write the book. You can't have everybody that was meaningful in your life, in your movie, so I decided to write “Finding Fish."

Your book is able to go more in-depth than the movie. Is there any person who was left out of the movie that you really hated to not be able to include?

No. Since I'm a filmmaker, I understand that movies are different. You have to let a movie be a movie and let a book be a book. The most logical person to have chosen in my life to tell this story was the Commander, the Navy psychiatrist, because we have to talk back and forth. I could have chosen my 4th and 5th and 6th grade teacher - who was one person - but then I would not have been able to tell my older life. So he was the better person and he did a lot for me, as well as some other people. The Navy itself - the rules and having to live in that structured environment - did a lot to mature me and make me a better person.


Is the character that Denzel Washington plays a real person, or a conglomeration of a few different people?

He's a real person but I had to have him do some things that a few other people had helped me do. He also serves the purpose that he served in real life, and he also does things that other people did for me - just like the girl. Since you can't have that many characters, you combine people.

Have the real people who influenced you seen the film?

Oh yeah!

What did they think of it?

They loved it. It's a great reward to find out that you said something and did something for somebody, and then later learn that this person went on and did something big and didn't forget you. In fact, this person said you were a part of what helped them get to where they are. It makes you proud and it makes you feel like your life is worth more than you knew.

The story actually takes place from the late '50s thru the mid '80s but the film's timeframe is more contemporary. Why was that done?


I was born in 1959 but for the movie's sake, we decided [to change it] so that children - kids - would find it contemporary. If we did it like I grew up in the '60s and '70s, then some kids might say, “Well, that's an old story.” And people might say that a long time has passed since then. But we wanted it to be current so that people would identify with it more.

How accurate was the portrayal of your foster parents?

I was kind to them in the movie and the book. I was kind to them. They are worse.

How did you survive that?


Me? Some children go through worse. Just not long ago you saw in Newark some children were starved to death and the police brought one child out dead in a plastic container that the person had left him in. It's a shame the things that go on, you know? I'm one of the lucky ones. I believe that my foster brother fared worse than I did.

I'm not confused about my position in all this. I'm just grateful that I had an opportunity, that I have gotten help, and that now I can share my story with others so they can see that there is hope and that there are good people in the world.

Has there been any backlash from the foster care system? Have you heard anything from any foster care organizations?

I think most foster care organizations understand that there are a lot of problems and a lot of things that need to be worked out. It is a hard thing, but I think the movie and my book helped to raise the awareness. I think that there are some people who would be foster parents or adoptive parents but haven't considered it or really investigated that. Maybe some people will, that's what I think. The foster care system needs help from people.

Derek Luke has said that it was important to make a movie about your life to do 'clean up' for a generation. Do you agree with that statement?

There have been a lot of movies about young people who have had difficult times, and what they do is destroy themselves and other people. There have been so many movies like that. This is probably the first movie about a young person who had a difficult beginning and did not do the wrong thing. Maybe this will open the door for more.

What's your personal message you're trying to convey with the film?

That there is hope even when you have the hardest beginnings, and there are good people in the world. Kids really need people. If you watched the movie and you saw Derek Luke in his anger, you know why he's angry. If you took Malcolm Kelley's (the actor who plays Antwone Fisher as a child) scenes out of the movie, no one would have any compassion for Derek.

They'd be angry at him for being so disruptive and wouldn't have any compassion for him. But because we know what happened to him, then you have more compassion. That's just like kids that you meet, you never know what they've gone through. Some kids have been through more in their young lives than a lot of adults. Not that you have to open yourself up to danger, but encouraging words sometimes…I would live on those encouraging words. When people would compliment me, I would go over and over [those words] in my head. My foster brother could never do that, he needed the real thing.

Did the finished movie live up to your expectations?

I think it's a beautiful movie and it makes its point. I feel fortunate that 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight, [producer] Todd Black, and Denzel Washington thought enough of this struggle to actually make a movie, because it's not really popular to make movies like mine. It's more popular to make those entertaining movies that flash and there's a lot of excitement. A movie that does a social service is not all that popular but it does help a lot more. Perhaps Hollywood will be open to making more movies like this. Not that they have to inundate everybody with these kinds of things, but it's a reality check.

Although you knew Derek Luke prior to the film, he didn't use you to get an audition. Would you have helped him get an audition had he asked?

Yes, I would have helped him because I like Derek. To be honest, Derek is a very talented person so he went in there and did a great job on his own. But he did have a hand-up because he did know me, and he had the screenplay long before other people who were auditioning. I gave it to him some years before auditions even started. He was using the screenplay in his acting classes.

So, you get to an audition and you're familiar with the scenes and the dialogue and that does give you some advantage. Not only that, Cuba Gooding and a lot of established young black actors were in the running - they were auditioning - but Denzel decided that it should not be an established actor. That opened up the opportunities for Derek even more. And I introduced him to Todd Black, the producer, so it wasn't like magic. But people like magic stories so we can let that one live (laugh).

Do you think he was the right actor to play you?

Certainly he was.

Was it easy for him to play you since you two had been friends before filming began?

We knew each other for some years before that so he didn't suddenly have to pay attention to me. He knew me. But the thing was, it was most important for him to do a good job. No one knows who I am so it doesn't matter whether he copied my mannerisms or not, because no one knows me. For Will Smith to play Muhammad Ali was different because everybody knows Muhammad Ali. If he came in and acted like Will Smith, then people would be disappointed because he's not being Muhammad Ali. It's much harder to do famous people.

Was it difficult for you to be on the set and watch some of the more emotional scenes being filmed?

I wrote it so that was one hurdle. Derek's parts were not bothersome to me, to see him perform his parts. It was Malcolm Kelley's parts that were hardest for me. In fact, some of those days I didn't even stay on the set. I would leave when he to do his scenes, or I would just not come to the set that day.



I always write about me as the little boy, not me as the young adult, because I did have decision-making abilities and I did have power. When people are sympathetic toward the older me, the character that Derek plays, you would not feel the way you feel about Derek if you hadn't seen what he went through as a child. It is about the humanity in the young boy. When I write poetry or when I talk about my life in poems, or when I wrote the book, I always refer to the little boy. I have book of poetry called “Who Will Cry for the Little Boy” that was just published. It's all about that.

When Denzel says, “We are doing this for Antwone,” we are all talking about the boy that I was who didn't have a voice and who was unprotected. We're not talking about the young adult who Derek played because I was free to make decisions then and I chose to not get help early on, due to my shame. But I did have power to do something for myself. When I was a kid I had no power at all.

Did you ever consider that having an Oscar-winning actor making his directorial debut in a movie about your life would detract from the film and its message? That the movie might become more about Denzel's directorial debut?


I don't know what people think, how they view the movie, or how they view Denzel in doing this movie, but I think him doing it does bring attention to it. Denzel, because of the way he talks about the movie, seems to deflect all the attention away from himself and onto the movie and the subject matter of the movie. You have to have somebody like him in order to get any attention for a story like this. If it was another movie that had a lot of costumes and lights and goings-on, you wouldn't need it as much.

But when you have a small movie like ours, the budget is very small and you have a bunch of unknown people in a small studio (not big Fox, but little Fox - Fox Searchlight), you are really like the little engine that could. You don't have a big budget, you don't have big movie stars - we have Denzel who is a big movie star but we don't have an ensemble of huge movie stars - and big lights and big songs, and big money. We don't have any of that. What we have is Denzel and apparently, it's enough.

This was a movie of firsts - your first screenplay, Derek Luke and Joy Bryant's first starring roles in a feature film, and Denzel Washington's directorial debut.


I don't think that we planned it this way but sometimes when you are working on these things, you find golden things inside of it that you never realized were happening. It was just another one of the great stories that are authentic surrounding this project.

You just won the 2003 Spotlight Award from the Creative Coalition for promoting the power of art in changing lives. How important is that award, and how important are awards, such as the Golden Globes, in general?

It was really important to me to receive the award because art was always how I found peace. When I was a kid, I could afford watercolors so I would paint with watercolors. It was something that I could express myself in - my paintings. I was good in art and people praised me for it. When they would have art contests in school, I would always win. Not always, but most of the time I would win. I remember one time I represented the school with a watercolor painting that I did. It was in competition with other schools and they had them all on display at some city building. I didn't win but the fact that my name was downtown on a painting that I had painted - I was about 11 years old - gave me a lot of pride.

I think awards, in general, are really nice to get if you can get them. But if you can't get them for whatever reason, you have to be in it for more than that. I'm always satisfied, especially with this particular project, because it's a huge thing just to have a movie made, period. But then to have a movie made about your life that you're happy with and that you can see that it helps others, then it's a great reward for me.



If Walls Could Talk

An essay by Antwone Fisher

It was late winter and still cold and icy in Cleveland and I visiting. A reporter from a local television station asked if I would meet in the neighborhood where I had grown up in foster care, to do a story to air on that evenings’ broadcast. After reminiscing there with the camera focused and tuned to my every word and movement, from the corner of my eye, to my surprise, was the house where I had endured so much unhappiness and hurt. Not being able to tear my eyes away, I looked straight on, catching the reporter’s attention. I told him that I could see the house where I lived with a terrible foster mother who crushed my spirit as a little boy.

The reporter said, “Let’s take a closer look.” With a little apprehension, I took the short walk with the newsman and his camera. The reporter walked onto the property with an easiness that compelled me to follow him despite my fast-growing anxiety over being so near to the house that held such horrible memories for me. I told him that if the walls of that house could talk, they would tell of staggering abuses to children and I wept openly on the steps.

The house remembered me and it was sad for me like a witness who could not take the stand in the defense of a victim. Knowing that the walls could not speak for me, the idea that there was a witness and that all that I remembered about that place and what occurred there was all true, became too much for me to bear and I had to leave immediately.

The reunion piece aired several times over the course of two days and it included a scene with me on the steps of that house lamenting.

In the late spring, I was back in Cleveland again, doing location scouting to prepare to make Antwone Fisher, the movie about my tumultuous childhood. The producer Todd Black and director Denzel Washington wanted me to take them to some of the important points of interest in my life, including the house in the Glenville area. As it turned out, the present owners of the house were horrified by the broadcast that had aired a few months earlier and they refused to allow us to tour the house without an apology from me for bringing that kind of attention to the home that they love and enjoy and especially for pointing out the window of the room I once occupied as a boy and where their young son now sleeps. I expressed sincere regret to the family, but especially to the boy who now lives in my old room.

Our tour of the home was granted. As I walked through the house, it was as if my memories were on film being projected on the walls. Me as a little boy along with my foster siblings enduring the beatings, the verbal ridicule, the attacks, the belittling, like a silent movie from Hollywood’s Golden Age, only I could see it and hear it playing on every wall as we walked through the house, reaching my former bedroom. But there on the walls of my former bedroom played only good memories-Technicolor joyous memories vivid with the scent of happiness with my childhood friends and the wonderful things that I had imagined for myself. The recollections were sweet and pleasing and I felt a sensation of warmth and contentment. The room had been a sanctuary for me. And I felt that if those walls could talk, they would have said ‘Welcome Back, Antwone.’ During the filming of ANTWONE FISHER I returned to the house on several occasions and played basketball with the boy and became a family friend.

My Friend Dr. Chris Lane Smith, Ed.D clsfab1



Screenwriter inspired his students

By Moira Macdonald

Seattle Times movie critic

Chris Smith, a screenwriter and teacher who died last week of complications from stomach cancer, inspired big dreams in his students. One of them, a young security guard named Antwone Fisher, dreamed of seeing his life story on the big screen — and, with Mr. Smith's help, he did.

A Seattle native and graduate of Nathan Hale High School, Mr. Smith was a working Los Angeles screenwriter who volunteered to teach a screenwriting class at Bethel AME Church in the South Central area in the aftermath of the 1992 L.A. riots. Fisher, a survivor of a troubled childhood, was one of his early students.

Having made peace with his past, Fisher was determined to tell his story. Mr. Smith helped him tell it: introducing Fisher to the right people, working with him as the screenplay developed, and ultimately serving as co-producer of the 2002 film "Antwone Fisher" directed by Denzel Washington.

"When I went to see Chris," Fisher said in 2003, "it was the beginning of a whole new life."

After "Antwone Fisher," Mr. Smith's career changed as well. He recently finished a doctoral program at UCLA in education and had just begun a new business, 360 Professional Development. His sister, Shannon Smith, described the business as a series of DVDs aimed at helping teachers improve their classroom skills. School districts in several states, she said, are already using his products.


Mr. Smith, 46, died Thursday (April 20) in San Diego.

"It was really an amazing experience teaching there," Mr. Smith said in 2003, remembering the classes in the South Central church. "It really changed my life, the power of education and helping people."






アントワン・フィッシャー









Short Biography


1959年生まれ。本作は彼の人生を原案としたものであり、脚本家及び共同製作者としてのデビュー作となった。この脚本が映画化されるまでに要した10年の間に回顧録『Finding Fish:A Memoir』（ハーパー・コリンズ社刊／日本：「きみの帰る場所／アントワン・フィッシャー」ソニー・マガジンズ刊）を執筆。この本はニューヨーク・タイムズのベストセラー欄に掲載されるほどの成功を収めた。2002年12月にはウィリアム・モロー社より詩集『Who Will Cry for the Little Boy』が発売され、詩人としてのデビューを飾った。



Introduction



「アントワン・フィッシャー」は、「グローリー」と「トレーニング・デイ」で2度のアカデミー賞に輝いた俳優デンゼル・ワシントンが、満を持して臨んだ監督デビュー作。彼は97年に監督の契約を結んだが、俳優としてのスケジュールが多忙を極め、2001年になってようやくこの仕事に着手した。ワシントンは「これは魂の勝利の物語だ」と語る。「アントワンの体験と、それでもなお彼が穏やかな心を持ち続けていることに触発された。我々の映画が、困難に直面してそれを乗り越えられそうにないと思っている人たちの心に届くよう願っている」と——。



　実話にインスピレーションを受けた感動的な物語を、奇をてらうことなく正攻法で描き出す落ち着いた語り口からは、彼自身の温かな人間性が伝わってくるようだ。まさにこの作品は、“監督”ワシントンの第一歩に相応しい。クリント・イーストウッド、ロバート・レッドフォード、メル・ギブソン、ケビン・コスナーらに続き、また一人俳優出身のアカデミー賞監督が誕生するかもしれない。



　アントワン・フィッシャーの物語に最初に注目したのは「ROCK YOU!〈ロック・ユー!〉」を製作したトッド・ブラック。10年以上も前、フィッシャーがソニー・ピクチャーズの警備員をしていたころのことだった。彼の物語に心打たれたブラックは、フィッシャーにライターの経験がないにもかかわらず、脚本執筆のために彼を雇った。撮影がスタートするまでの間にフィッシャーが書いた回顧録『Finding Fish』は2001年の大ベストセラーになった。そして、トッド・ブラック、デンゼル・ワシントンとともに「愛は静けさの中に」で知られる女性監督ランダ・ヘインズが製作に当たり、フィッシャー自身も共同製作者として加わった。



　アントワン・フィッシャーを演じるのはこれが長編映画初出演となるデレク・ルーク。彼もソニー・ピクチャーズの売店で働く無名の俳優だったが、ワシントンにより大きなチャンスを与えられ、それに見事に応えた。ブレイクスルー賞受賞のほか数々の賞にノミネートされ、賞賛を浴びている。モデルから女優に転身して、アントワンのガールフレンド、シェリルを演じたジョイ・ブライアントもフレッシュな魅力をみせている。監督のワシントンは、精神科医ジェローム・ダヴェンポートという映画の要となる役で出演もしている。また、「黒豹のバラード」のサリー・リチャードソンがダヴェンポートの妻バータに扮している。









From Antwone


私が自分の物語を語りたいと願ったのは、その機会を提示されただけでなく、私に書く才能などないと言われたことが動機でもあった。それは、子供の頃にいつも“お前は価値のない人間で、一生かかっても何もやり遂げることなどできない”と言われていたことを思い出させた。その言葉は今も私の脳裏に焼きついている。その言葉が、私に自分の物語を書く決心をさせた。



そして私は、自分の人生について書く行為がカタルシスと浄化作用をもたらすことを発見した。秘密にすべきだと感じてきたことから解き放たれた気がした。あのような不健全な恥辱について自分を責めることから自由になったように感じたのである。




自分の人生が語られることは、私に信念と勇気をもたらし、この世には善良で利己的でない人々がいるのだと思い出させてくれる。喜んで見ず知らずの他人を助け、自立に必要なものと社会に貢献するチャンスを与えてくれる人々だ。その不運な環境にもかかわらず、私の人生には希望がある




「お前はろくでなしだよ。大人になったってろくなヤツになりゃしない。どこの馬の骨ともしれないんだから」という言葉が、強さと勇気を生み出す燃料の役目を果たしたとは、なんと異常で悲しいことだろう。しかし、私ががんばり通せたのは、この燃料のおかげだけではない。ホームレスだった17歳のとき、私の持ち物は自分の信念と、慰めだけだった。私はよく自分に言ったものだ。「もうすぐ何か良いことが起こる」と。私は、不可能そうなことを自分に信じ込ませるすべを学んだ。それは時にうまくいったし、うまくいかないこともあった。しかし、私は楽観的という言葉の意味を知るずっと前から楽観的だった。その楽観主義と、挫折への恐怖を持っていたおかげで、この映画が誕生するまでの9年間をがんばりぬくことができた。



この映画を初めて見たとき、私は恐れ・喜び・誇り・満足といった感情が複雑に入り混じった気分に圧倒された。それらの感情は今も私の胸にこだましている。それは、今後の人生を通じて続くだろう。人々が映画館を出るとき、こうした感情と、子供たちの人生を良くするために何かをする勇気を持ってくれることを望んでいる。あらゆる子供が人間的な価値と限りない可能性を持っていることに気づいてもらえるよう祈っている。その子のことを気にかけている証が、たった一言の励ましの言葉だけだったとしても、その贈り物だけで子供の人生は救われ、未来に希望の灯がともることに気づいてもらえるように。



Story


その少年は正装で豆畑の真ん中に佇んでいた。目の前には納屋の大きな扉。その扉が開くと、人々が笑顔で彼を迎えた。テーブルには豪華な感謝祭のごちそうが並び、おいしそうなパンケーキが少年の前に置かれる……。起床の合図とともに、アントワン兵曹（デレク・ルーク）は甘い夢から目覚めた。


アメリカ海軍に勤務するアントワンは、興奮しやすくてケンカっ早い性格のため、精神科医ダヴェンポート中佐（デンゼル・ワシントン）の診察を受けるよう命じられる。それは、彼を思いがけない“帰郷の旅”へと導くことになる。最初は心を硬く閉ざすアントワンだったが、ダヴェンポートに導かれるように語り出した彼の物語は、あまりに恐ろしい子供時代の体験だった。しだいに父親のような存在になっていくダヴェンポート医師。そして、軍の売店で働く女性シェリルとの出会い。この二人に支えられながら、彼は人の愛し方を学び、自分自身の傷を癒す勇気を見出していく。その時初めて、アントワンは一度も会ったことのない家族を探し始める。




彼の心の旅は、あの夢に見た“扉”を探す新しい道にさしかかった。その“扉”はきっと自分を受け入れてくれる。その向こうには、まだ見ぬ家族と感謝祭のごちそうが待っている——。




Who Will Cry For the Little Boy




だれがその小さな男の子のために泣くというのか 
たった一人で途方にくれているあの子のために 

だれがその小さな男の子のために泣くというのか 
何も持たず置き去りにされたあの子のために 

だれがその小さな男の子のために泣くというのか 
彼は泣き疲れて眠った 

だれがその小さな男の子のために泣くというのか 
彼は何の財産も持たなかった 

だれがその小さな男の子のために泣くというのか 
彼は焼けた砂の上を歩いた 

だれがその小さな男の子のために泣くというの



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